The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-30
A FATAL RIDE ON THE CANAL
A Skiff Overturned While Passing
Under the Ninth-Street Bridge.
Joseph C. Biecheier and Charles Il. Mowwe
Drowned in Eighteen Feet of Water Be-
fore Assistance Could Reach Them.

Joseph C. Biecheler, a young man employed
in the photograph gallery ct VIM. F. Staples,
and Charles II. Mowwe. the eighteen-year-old
of Mrs Catharine Mowwe, residing at No.
Go Stevens street, were drowned in the canal
near Ninth street, yesterday morning. at 10
o'clock. The young men had planned to go to
Broad Ripple and spend the day fishing. About
o'clock they hired skiff at the boat-house,
the corner of Michigan street and the canal,
and started on their trip. When they began to
row. the boatman observed that they were un-
accustomed to handling oars. and warned them
to be careful in passing under the bridges.
1t nearly 10 o'clock when they reached
the bridge at Ninth street. which is the most
difficult to pass under. It is built in three
tions, and the supports come nearly down to
the water. An effort was made to run between
the center piers, but the skif was not well
guided, and struck the east center pier. The
shock threw the occupants to the left side of the
skiff. and seeing they were going to upset they
both sprang to catch the timbers of the bridge
The stays were beyond their reach, and they
went into water eighteen feet deep. Neither
could swim. There was no one near. but their
cries aroused several persons living two hundred
yards away, who went quickly possible to
their assistance. They were too late though,
nothing in sight but the empty boat, and the
floating hats of the drowned men. There was
considerable difficulty about getting persons to
search for the bodies but patrolmen Nathan
Ward finally found Elmer Gibson, George Bar
naby, Thomas Kinney and Robert Oliver. who
volunteered to drag the canal for the bodies. It
IL O'clock before they were ready to
begin work. and by that time fifteen
hundred people had congregated along the banks
where the bodies were supposed to be resting.
The first haul with the drag net brought up the
body of Mowwe, hundred feet below where he
went down. Tutewiler's ambulance had
viously been called, and the remains were taken
to his undertaking establishment. Until the
body was brought out one knew who the
drowned persons were, and among those present
were many rela tives and friends of persons who
were known to have gone boating up the canal
during the morning The remains were in
spected by all present, but it not until after
they had been taken to the undertaking estab-
lishment that they were identified The men at
the boat-house were able to identify Mowwe
the young man in company with Biecheler, whom
they knew.
The dragmen were not so successful in finding
the body of Becheer They dragged the bed
of the canal for hundred yards below the
bridge without success. More assistance was
procured in the afternoon, and while the drag
gng went on, persons with ab-hooks examined
the bed half way down to the river. All hope
of finding the body without letting the water out
of the channel had been given up at o'clock,
when it was proposed to make one more drag
near the bridge where he went down. It
done, and the body found. not more than
fifty feet from where Mowwe rested. 1t, TOO,
was taken in charge by Tutewiler.
The coroner held an inquest on the bodies ard
his verdict that they came to their death
from accidental drowning Both were young
men of good habits. Mowwe was the only sup
support Of his widowed mother. He was en-
ployed clerk by the Brunswick Bake Col
lender company. Biecheler was twenty three
years of age, and has been with Staples, the
photographer. for several years. So far can
be learned he has relatives in this city.
Those who know him think he had but rela-
tive in this country, aud she a nun, residing in
Cincinnati or ST. Louis.